Blue catfish invading local waterways

Blue catfish are invading area waterways and threatening the ecosystem.

Maryland lawmakers are already taking action and the local fishing industry is trying to tackle the issue before it gets out of control.

Tim Sughrue of Congressional Seafood says wild blue catfish are the greatest environmental threat the Chesapeake Bay has ever faced. They live 20 years, can grow to nearly 100 pounds, and are at the top of the food chain.

Blue catfish are native to the Ohio and Mississippi River basins, but first turned up in Virginia back in the 1970s.

Maryland State Senator Thomas "Mac" Middleton has sponsored a bill, which rewards anyone who turns in someone introducing non-native fish into state waterways by paying them half of what the violator is fined. But when it comes to blue catfish, Sughrue says the damage is already done.

Now, Sughrue is pushing for a national campaign to get them on restaurant menus and in grocery stores.